"Omnibus" Spending Bill Signed by President Yesterday Contains Language Inserted by Democratic Leaders to Kill Popular & Successful Program for Low-Income Students

Contact: Republican Leader Press Office, 202-225-4000

WASHINGTON, Mar. 12 /Standard Newswire/ -- The $410 billion "omnibus" spending bill signed into law by President Obama yesterday isn't just loaded with nearly 9,000 earmarks and the largest non-emergency discretionary spending hike since the Carter Administration.  It also included language devised by congressional Democratic leaders to effectively kill the successful and popular Washington, D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program -- an innovative program that gives low-income parents a choice regarding where to send their children to school.  Thousands of D.C. children have been served by the program during the past six years -- including 137 students currently attending Washington's Archbishop Carroll Catholic High School.  Many of them will be forced to leave the school after the 2009-10 academic year thanks to the Democrat-led omnibus spending bill.

WUSA Channel 9 in Washington aired a report this morning on the Opportunity Scholarship Program and the positive impact it is having at Archbishop Carroll High School, where the school's valedictorian last year was a scholarship recipient.  It is just one in a flurry of media reports over the past few weeks that have highlighted the popular and successful program.  Do Washington Democrats really want to go through with their plans to take away low-income parents' ability to choose which school their children will attend?  There is still a chance to right this wrong.  Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-NJ) introduced legislation earlier this week that would express House support for this program, and Congress still has time to preserve the program before it is scheduled to end at the conclusion of the 2009-10 school year.  Following is full video and transcript of the report:

Click HERE for Video

ANCHOR:  As part of the $410 billion federal spending bill the President signed Wednesday, Congressional Democrats have stopped automatic funding of the District school voucher program.  They say Congress will review that program.  The Republican sponsored project [in conjunction with former Washington, DC mayor Anthony Williams (D-D.C.)] has provided $14 million in grant money to help low-income students attend private schools.  Bruce Johnson reports from both sides of the school voucher issue.

BRUCE JOHNSON:  The football team at Archbishop Carroll Catholic High includes some students who wouldn't be here if not for the public dollars Congress has provided to low income students to attend private schools.  A lot of people simply don't like the idea.  Some local private schools aren't interested in participating in the voucher program.  Here at Archbishop Carroll this year alone they've got 137 students. Many are finishing at the top of their classes.

ARCHBISHOP CARROLL CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL & CEO DR. DAVID STOFA:  The valedictorian last year was an opportunity scholar.

JOHNSON:  She was a voucher student?

DR. STOFA:  She was a voucher student.  She's currently attending Syracuse on an academic scholarship.

JOHNSON:  Each voucher student gets $7,500 toward their private school tuition.  There are only 1,700 slots so a lottery decides who gets in.

DR. STOFA:  It gives kids a choice.  There are a lot of kids in the environmental situations that aren't the best they can be.

MARY LEVY, PUBLIC EDUCATION REFORM PROJECT:  I don't want my tax money used for other people's religions or even mine.

JOHNSON:  D.C. School Chancellor Michelle Rhee…

RHEE:  I don't have a formal position on vouchers, I've said that from the very beginning.  I believe in school choice.  I believe that parents should have the opportunity to choose a school program that they think is in the best interest of their child.

JOHNSON:  President Obama has said students already in private schools on vouchers should be allowed to continue their educations, but there's no automatic federal funding at $14 million a year after the 2009-2010 school year.  Bruce Johnson, 9 news now, wusa9.com.

Republican Leader Press Office

Rep. John Boehner (R-OH)

H-204, The Capitol

(202) 225-4000

http://republicanleader.house.gov/